Taste

[michaelinga]

Hello,
Newbie here and I tapped my first trees last year here in Minnesota. Our syrup had a distinctive vanilla taste and near as I can tell it is an early run, from the research I have done. Is this what you all would agree on? Thanks and I am looking forward to my second year of tapping and hopefully getting some syrup that tastes more like syrup and less like vanilla. I like the vanilla taste just looking for a change.

[Galena]

Don't worry, Michael, the vanilla note is often there for the first bit of the season then the more expected maple flavour develops with subsequent batches. Of the 7 batches I typically get each year, 1-2 will definitely be vanilla/marshmallow in flavour; 3 the maple starts to kick in but may still some vanilla notes. Batches 4-5 are the most typically maple notes with a nice well-established flavour. Batch 6 I usually keep for myself as the flavour is really rich then and almost what I call super-maple. Batch 7 can start to get more coffee/molassesy.

And fwiw the most interesting flavour I ever had from a batch was a very light, but noticeable, scent and taste of fresh hay. It was from a 4th batch that year and I wish that note had stayed!

ETA There is an American version of the following URL, but us Canadians are experts in sugaring (;-)) and our flavour wheel is much prettier!
http://www.agr.gc.ca/eng/science-and-innovation/agriculture-and-agri-food-research-centres-and-collections/quebec/saint-hyacinthe-research-and-development-centre/maple-syrup-flavour/flavour-wheel-for-maple-products/?id=1231363888838